Storm-curtain for carriage-tops



No. 617,294. Patented Jan. 3, male. J. T. LAWLESS.

STORM CURTAIN FOR CAARRIAGETOPS.

(Application filed -Mnr. 21 189 8.

(No Model.)

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llnrrnn STATES JAMES T. LAWLESS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

STORM-"CURTAIN FOR CARRIAGE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,294, dated January3, 1899.

Serial No. 674,640. (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. LAWLESS, of Toledo, county of Lucas, andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStorm-Curtains for Carriage- Tops; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to a storm-curtain for carriage-tops, and has forits object to provide an attachable and detachable curtain for acarriage-top, whereby the entire front of the carriage may be closed onthe occasion of inclement weather, or the curtain may be detached fromthe top in fair weather or swung upon its axis and secured within thetop of the carriage for causes of emergency.

The invention is designed for attachment to carriages of present use orconstructed so asto be made an element of those of future construction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a carriage-topprovided with my improved curtain. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 isan elevation of the frame of the stormcurtain, showing the lowertransverse bar attached thereto. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showingthe front carriage-top bow in section with a clamp secured thereonhaving an eye to receive the bent end of the lower transverse bar. Fig.5 is an elevation" of the same. Fig. 6 is a preferred form of hook forattachin g the lower transverse bar to the storm-curtain frame. Fig. 7is an elevation of a screw hook for suspending the storm-curtain to thetransverse portion of the front carriage-bow, showing the frame of thestorm-curtain in section.

1 designates the carriage-top bow, and 2 the top of the carriage-top.From the front bow of the carriage-top there is suspended the frame ofthe storm-curtain 8 by means of hooks 4-, which engage with thetransverse front bow of the carriage, preferably by being screwedtherein, and are provided with hook portions 5, into which is enteredthe upper transverse bar 6 of the curtain-frame, having integral withthe bar a plurality of. rods 8 8, preferably four. To lend rigidity,rods 8 8 are connected with a lower curved transverse bar 9, extendingacross the width of thefront of the carriage, and to this framework issecured a covering of fabric, leather, or any desired material, andtheremay be a plurality of panes of glass 10 secured therein to allowthe occupant of the carriage to look outwardly. Transverse bar 9 isconnected to the front carriagebow by means of clamps 11, which embracethe bow, and each clamp is provided with an eye 12 to receive the bentends 13 of the bar 9, preferably formed With a keyhole 14, into whichmay be inserted a key, and upon the bar 9 may be arranged a plurality ofhooks 15, the eyes of which are run upon the bar 9, and the upper end ofthe hook engaged with the transverse bar 16 of the frame. Provision ismade for securing a lap-robe 17 to the bar 9 by engaging the lap-robewith buttons 18 upon the bar 9, thereby entirely deflecting the waterreceived upon the storm-curtain to the lap-robe or rubber blanket, whichmay be used, and intermediate the joinder of the storm-curtain andlap-robe the reins 19 may be passed. It will be seen that by thisarrangement the entire curtain may be readily detachedfrom thecarriage-top by withdrawing the curved ends 13 from the eyes 12 of theclamps 11 and disengaging the curtain-frame from the hooks and that itmay also be as readily attached to the carriage-top.

The fabric or covering material of the storm-curtain is of a width to beprovided with buttonholes and receive buttons 20 arranged upon thecarriage-bow Should it be desired to retain the storm-curtain 3 Withinthe carriage-top, the ends 13 of the bar 9 are disengaged from the eyes12 of the clamps 11 and the entire curtain may be swung in the arc of acircle, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the bar 9 secured to thecarriage-bow frame in the top of the carriage-top by hooks 21.

By this-arrangement a carriage of present construction may be readilyequipped with my improved storm-curtain by means of the hooks 4 andclamps 11, and its convenience of attachment and detachment, as Well asthat of retention within the carriage-top frame, is one of essentialvalue in this branch of the art.

WVhat I claim is 1. In a storm-curtain for carriage-tops, a metalframework of an area to close the front of the carriage, having an upperhorizontal bar provided with hooks to engage the framework of thecarriage-top, a lower bar with downwardly-projecting ends, and clamps toembrace the carriage-bows, having openings to receive the projectingends of the lower bar.

2. In a storm-curtain for carriage-tops, a metal framework having asuitable covering and transparent panes, means for suspending the framedetachably to the carriage-top, a curved lower bar, means for detachablyse- Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, JEANETTA HIsLoP.

